Excursion to experience the Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is unforgettable. Just a short drive from downtown Portland, the
spectacular canyon views, lush natural beauty, majestic waterfalls, and Columbia River flowing
through the Oregon and Washington mountainsides combine to form one of the most beautiful
natural areas in the Pacific Northwest.
Join us on a the pre-conference excursion which will leave early Friday morning, hit all of the
highlights - Multnomah Falls! The (aptly named) Bridge of The Gods! A cruise up the Columbia
River! Vista House! - and have you back at the conference in time for dinner, ice cream, and the
speaker meeting. If you haven’t seen the Gorge, please take our advice and join us – it’s truly an
experience not to be missed! Full itinerary outlined below:
9:00am
Bus to load at the University of Portland https://www1.up.edu/
breakfast snacks and drinks to be provided
pick up registrations and laminates at the bus, cars can stay at the school
9:15am
Depart the University of Portland
75 minute drive to Cascade locks – up Washington (north) side of the Columbia
river on Hwy 14 there are many View points…Beacon Rock http://parks.state.wa.us/474/Beacon-Rock Skamania,
https://www.store.skamania.com/ Bonneville Dam…
http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Locations/Columbia-River/Bonneville/
past the former site of the Celilo Falls – refuted to be the longest continuously
inhabited location on the planet – wonderful but tragic piece of PNW history –
finally we will come across the Bridge Of The Gods
http://portofcascadelocks.org/bridge-of-the-gods/
10:30am
arrive at Cascade locks to load on the Stern Wheeler http://portofcascadelocks.org/marine-park/sternwheeler-columbia-gorge/
Load the boat for sight-seeing cruise (make sure that we have people there to
save seats/space)
11:00am
depart for Cruise up the Columba River – opt for second hour of tour or lunch/
potential AA meeting at the Bridge of the Gods
12:00 pm
load the bus to go to the Bridgeside restaurant http://bridgesidedining.com/ (2
minute drive) for lunch (meals are not provided – individuals will need to pay for
food) and a potential AA meeting in private back room windows overlook the
Columbia River and up to the Bridge of the Gods
1:30 pm
Lunch over – load bus to continue the tour – pick up anyone that stayed on the
Sternwheeler
1:45 pm
Depart the restaurant for Multnomah falls
20 minutes to the Falls
2:10 pm
Arrive at Multnomah falls http://www.oregon.com/attractions/multnomah_falls
3:15 pm
Depart the falls to head back to Portland – go back 84 and take the 30 bypass
60 minutes back to the School
4:00 pm
registration starts at the University of Portland
4:45 pm
Tour arrives back at the University of Portland
5:00 pm
Dinner provided for tour participants at the school
6:00 pm
Ice Cream social to begin –
7:00 pm
Speaker meeting to begin?
9:00 pm
Break
9:30 pm
comedian / Dance / entertainment